Chronic myeloid leukemia with thrombocythemic onset may be associated with different BCR/ABL variant transcripts.
Ph-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) mimicking essential thrombocythemia (ET) at onset seems to be a distinct clinical entity. Whether this rare clinical form of CML is associated with single, specific variants of BCR/ABL transcripts is a matter of debate. Among 82 consecutive patients with Ph-positive CML, we identified 3 patients in which the disease mimicked ET at presentation, because of marked thrombocytosis and moderate leukocytosis, with few immature myeloid cells in peripheral blood and blood basophilia in 2 of them. Molecular analysis with the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction technique showed the presence of b2a2, b3a2, and b3a2-b2a2 transcript variants in the three patients, respectively. The results of our study together with a review of literature data suggest that different BCR/ABL transcript variants may occur in CML mimicking ET, without an apparently significant prevalence of one type.
Emilia
G
G
Department of Medical Sciences, University of Modena, Italy.
Luppi
M
M
Ferrari
M G
MG
Temperani
P
P
Marasca
R
R
Giacobbi
F
F
Vaccari
P
P
Bandieri
E
E
Di Donato
C
C
Carapezzi
C
C
Torelli
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000150:complications*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl